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34
The following houses which had been the subject of Closing Orders
or Demolition Orders were demolished during the year:
4 and 6, Shelley Road.
Dower House Cottage, Stanmore Hill.
Nos. 277 and 281 Pinner Road had been the subject of Closing
Orders. On their being reconditioned the Orders were revoked.
Repair of Houses
When a house is found to be in any respect unfit for human habitation
and the owner on being approached will not carry out the work, the
Public Health Committee serves a notice under Section 9 of the Housing
Act calling for the carrying out of the necessary work if that can be
done at a reasonable expense. If the owner fails to do so, the authority
can do the work and recover the cost from him.
The Housing Repairs and Rents Act 1954 amended the provisions
of the 1949 Housing Act by which grants could be made to the owners
to modernise their houses by improvement or conversion. It appears
that throughout the country little advantage has been taken of these
additional powers, and very few applications have been received in
respect of houses in this district.
Improvement Grants. During the year 34 applications for Improvement
Grants were referred to the Department by the Borough Engineer
and Surveyor. Inspections were carried out to determine whether the
accommodation was suitable for reconditioning and improvement;
the proposed improvements would render the house in all respects fit
for habitation; and whether, in those cases where disrepair existed, the
owners proposals included dealing with the defects.
Most of the applications received were from owner/occupiers who
wished to improve the properties in which they lived; only eight related
to properties where landlords wished to improve conditions for the
benefit of the tenants.
Overcrowding
The annual review of the state of overcrowding in the district shows
that there has again been an improvement. As compared with the 139
cases known on the 1st January, the number on December 31st was 109.
The nett reduction of 30 is the difference between the 70 cases in which
the overcrowding was abated and the 40 new cases.
In 19 instances the abatement of the overcrowding was brought
about by the families being rehoused in Council houses.
The new cases of overcrowding are largely the result either of an
increase in the size of the family, or of the ageing of existing members.
Many houses are occupied so nearly to the full that a child reaching the
age of one year or of ten years is sufficient to tip the scale and make the
premises statutorily overcrowded. New cases of overcrowding brought
about by these means can be expected to continue year by year.
Of the 109 premises which were overcrowded, in 80 overcrowding was
by not more than one unit. 10 families were living in premises overcrowded
by H units, 14 in premises overcrowded by 2 units and five in